Sairly Are Squats Bad for Your Knees? Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably squatted today. Did you use the restroom? Bend down to pick something up? Those daily movements are considered squats. Doing many in a row (say, in the context of the gym), may lead you to wonder if squats are bad for your knees. Figure 01 But it turns out that the movement is crucial for maintaining mobility and strength and avoiding injury during and long after a workout, explains Noelle McKenzie, C.P.T., co-owner of Leading Edge Personal Trainers. “You need to be able to squat to get in and out of a car and to squat to sit in a chair,” McKenzie continues. “As soon as you stop being able to squat, you become extremely immobile and vulnerable to falling.” With that in mind, McKenzie and other experts dive further into arthritis, joint pain, knee health, and squats below. Figure 02 Are squats bad for your knees? On the whole, squats are not bad for your knees—they’re...